Business Plan Proposal for Devoted Medics Research

Business Plan for Devoted Medics - Research Proposal Example From this discussion it is clear that the numbers indicate a growing customer base, the volume of these calls has seriously strained the clinic due to shortage of staff members at the call center. However, the clinic cannot afford to hire additional staff, thus the only option is to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction by using modern technologies and encouraging teamwork among the clinic’s staff members.This study outlines that as a privately-owned clinic, Devoted Medics is led by a management team comprised of one physician, a nurse and a technical manager. The technical manager is in charge of the call center, where two assistants take customer requests. Currently, the call center still operates on a switchboard operator where the assistants pick the calls and ask the caller whether they are calling about an earlier issue or they are following up on an earlier issue. The assistants then forwards the call to a customer care representative who addresses the callers ne eds.  This process is very cumbersome, considering the number of calls that have to be forwarded as compared to the call center workforce. Accordingly, this calls for a more modern contact center that does not put so much pressure on the workforce, but rather encourages teamwork.  The primary goal of Devoted Medics and any other clinic for that matter is to deliver quality and coordinated health care to patients.

Transfer To Virginia Tech Essay Example for Free

Transfer To Virginia Tech Essay I have come to a point in life that many people have not.   I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams.   While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck.   I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life.    Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone.   This is why I have chosen to apply at (Selected University Here). My most important character strength, in my opinion, is my ability to adapt, accept and learn from different cultures.   I traveled a lot when I was younger and have been exposed to all sorts of cultures and societies.   Growing up, I found myself amidst people of many different cultural backgrounds and I have found that I have grown to accept people for who they are and not where they are from. The world is fast becoming a borderless place.   Cultures, races, beliefs and ideologies are blend together and interact because of the growing advances in communications.   In order to succeed in this world, one needs to be able to adapt to the various cultural differences as well as be able to maintain a certain sense of individual identity.   This is why I firmly believe that Virginia Tech is the perfect place for me. In order to get ahead in this world, it is important to have a good education.   While I began to pursue my dream at App State University, I feel that Virginia Tech is the better place for me.   The fact that my mother graduated from Virginia Tech only adds to the many reasons why having a quality education from a well-known school is crucial to the pursuit of my long term goals in life. While I personally believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as a free lunch† and that everything a person has in life must come from hard work and perseverance, I also believe in charity.   I believe in helping others who do not have much in life.   I believe in helping people regardless of their nation, race or creed.   I believe in being a better person so I can best help myself and others around me.   I strongly feel that my time of being an object at rest has gone on long enough and that it is now time for me to move forward to achieve my dreams.   For this reason, I feel that (name of university) is the best place for me to turn these beliefs into realities.

Skills Required in Phlebotomy

Skills Required in Phlebotomy Objectives To acquire the knowledge and skills to perform phlebotomy and finger prick. To learn the order of draw and its significance. To learn various devices and preparation techniques before phlebotomy. Introduction Phlebotomy is referred to the cutting of a vein. It is a procedure often involving invasion that invades the body through cutting or puncture normally carried out by professionals called phlebotomists. Among the major roles involving a phlebotomist is to obtain blood specimens for diagnostic testing. This can be done either by dermal puncture which is done by puncturing the skin or venepuncture which is done by puncturing the veins. Other than that, a phlebotomist is also responsible in redrawing blood from donors during blood transfusion of from any patients having polycythemia which is known for overproduction of blood cells. Phlebotomist are also responsible for collecting and properly packaging urine specimens, accepting incoming specimens (blood and body fluids, etc.), and routing specimens to the proper departments to be tested and analysed. In order for a phlebotomist to withdraw blood from a patient, he should make sure that the tubes are labelled and all the materials are pr epared before carrying out the procedure. The best sites for venipunture are normally the superficial veins of the upper limbs. The superficial vein most commonly used for venipuncture is the median Cubital Vein which lies over the cubital fossa and serves as an anastomosis between the basilica veins and the cephalic veins. The next most common vein is the cephalic vein where it can be followed proximally where it empties into the axillary vein. The basilic vein is also a location for venipunture as it divides to join the brachial vein. The usual sites for capillary puncture or finer prick in adults and children are the fingertip. In adults, the ring finger is often selected because it usually is not calloused. Capillary blood can be obtained from the great toe in infants and babies. In new-borns, the lateral or side portion of the end of the heel pas is used. The BD Discussion Among the inappropriate sites for venipuncture are the site affected by a mastectomy. This is because mastectomy causes lymphostasis which means stoppage of lymph flow where the bodys ability to fight infection is compromised if lymph nodes are removed therefore patients are more prone to infections. Edematous sites, an abnormal accumulation of fluid on the intracellular space of the tissue must also be avoided as it can cause difficulty in palpating the veins due to the excess fluid. The specimen can also be contaminated with the fluid. Venipuncture performed at sites of scars and burns are also inappropriate as it causes unusual pain for the patients. This is caused by the veins that are very difficult to palpate and also susceptible to infections as the protective barrier (epidermal layer) has been disrupted. Other than that, patients who have IV running in their arm should not be used for venepuncture as it may be a contaminant to the blood collected. Lastly, dermal punctures mus t never be performed on the fingers of a new-born or very young infant. This is because there is very little distance between the skin and the bone. Therefore, the bone could be easily pierced during the puncture, causing injury to the bone, infection, or gangrene. The order of draw is as follows, Blood Cultures Coagulation Tube (light blue top) Plain red AND/OR Serum Separator Tube (red gel/SST) Heparin Tube (green top) Plain Sodium Heparin Plain Lithium Heparin Lithium Heparin Gel EDTA Tube (purple and pink top) Fluoride/ Oxalate Tube (grey top) Miscellaneous tubes (these are drawn in no specific order) Heavy metal dark blue top (EDTA and plain red) b. ACD yellow top The purpose of the order of draw is to avoid possible test result error due to cross contamination from tube additives. Potassium results can be falsely elevated as EDTA is rich in potassium. Therefore test for potassium must be collected before tubes containing EDTA. Other than that, the microscopic appearance of the red blood cells on a WBC differential test will be distorted due to the additives in the Fluoride/ Oxalate tube as oxalate interferes the red blood cell membrane and fluoride alter its morphology. Moreover, coagulation tests such as Activated partial thromboplastic time (aPTT) and prothrombin (PT) can be affected with the presence of clot activators by shortened test results. Bacteria from non-sterile tube stoppers/shields can contaminate blood collected into bottles/tubes used for blood cultures, resulting in the growth of bacteria erroneously leading a physician to think his/her patient has a blood infection. A hematoma is a collection of blood beneath the skin. Hematomas are the most common adverse reaction to venipuncture. Precautions that can be taken to prevent hematoma in phlebotomy are by puncturing only the uppermost wall of the vein. Other than that, the phlebotomist can also remove the tourniquet before removing the needle. The needle should fully penetrate the upper-most wall of the vein as partial penetration may allow blood to leak into the tissue surrounding the vein. Lastly, adequate pressure should be applied to stop the bleeding once the phlebotomy is complete. Haemolysed blood specimens are not be acceptable for testing. Hemolysis occurs when the red cells rupture and haemoglobin and other intracellular components spill into the serum. Hemolyzed serum or plasma is pink or red, rather than the normal clear straw or pale yellow colour. Steps that can prevent haemolysis are by mixing tubes gently or about 5 – 10 times after collection. The tubes should not be shaken too vigorously and drawing blood should be performed on hematoma individuals. Other than that, when using a needle or syringe, avoid drawing back the plunger to forcefully. Moreover, if a blood transfer device is used to fill vacutainer tubes, always allow the vacuum to pull the blood into the tubes. Do not use he plunger or syringe to force the blood into the tubes quickly. References Akron Childrens Hospital, 2015, Lab Test Procedure : Performing A Venipuncture. [Online]. Available at : https://www.akronchildrens.org/cms/lab_procedures/9179c8cb8f877ee3/ [ Accessed 29/01/2015]. Johnson. L, 2013, National Center for Competency Testing : Phlebotomy order of draw, [Online]. Available at : https://www.ncctinc.com/documents/Phlebotomy%20Order%20of%20Draw.pdf [Accessed 29/01/2015]. MediaLab incorporated, 2015, Hematoma, [Online]. Available at : https://www.medialabinc.net/spg549505/hematoma.aspx, [ Accessed 29/01/2015]. Turgeon., M,. L, 2005, Clinical Hematology: Theory and Procedures, Volume 936, [Online], Available at : https://books.google.com.my/books?id=cHAjsUgegpQCpg=PA26lpg=PA26dq=edematous+site+venipuncturesource=blots=qxLCqzHsO2sig=OaKkj33lflGKFvorZweYFnb4RHUhl=ensa=Xei=n1bHVI-VM4yD8gW29IKoBgved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepageq=edematous%20site%20venipuncturef=false , [Accessed 29/01/2015]

Manet’s Advertisement An understanding of Vue de l’Exposition Universel

An understanding of Vue de l’Exposition Universelle, Paris 1867 â€Å"Manet a toujours reconnu le talent là   oà ¹ il se trouve et n’a prà ©tendu ni renverser une ancienne peinture ni en crà ©er une nouvelle. Il a cherchà © simplement à   à ªtre lui-mà ªme et non un autre.† Edouard Manet, Motifs d’une exposition particulià ¨re, May 1867 (in Courthion: 139) Manet is a transitional painter, emerging from the realism of the early to mid nineteenth century and a precursor to — included in by some authors — the impressionist movement. The public’s fascination with his work is remarkable. But, as much as his work is appreciated today, he has been criticized and misunderstood by his contemporaries. His radical explorations in composition and representation made him an easy target for unfavorable critics. He has been accused of leaving his paintings unfinished, of not being able to compose, of lack of imagination and even of vulgarity (Hanson, Howard, Mainardi, others). His position as part of the â€Å"tribe of eccentrics† (Chesneau q. in Mainardi: 109) has kept Manet out of the conservative catalog of the Fine Arts section of the Exposition Universelle of 1867 in Paris. Since, in the artist’s words, â€Å"montrer est la question vitale, le sine qua non pour l’artiste† (in Courthion: 140), he was forced to prepare his own show to display his work to the very important public brought to Paris by the world fair. So, he and Courbet borrowed money and set up on the Place de l’Alma, right on the path leading from the Salon at the Place de l’Industrie to the Exposition Universelle on the Champ de Mars (Mainardi: 109). It is in this ambiance of optimistic defiance that Manet produced Vue de l’Exposition Universelle, Paris 1867 , his illustration of the fair. ... ...er Levin Associates, 1988 Hanson, Anne Coffin. Manet and the Modern Tradition. New Haven: Yale U. Press, 1977 Howard, Seymour. â€Å"Early Manet and Artful Error: Foundations of Anti-Illusion in Modern Painting† in Art Journal. New York: College Art Association of America. Vol. 37, Fall 1977: 14-21 L’Exposition universelle de 1867: guide de l’exposant et du visiteur, avec les documents officiels, un plan et une vue de l’Exposition. Paris: Exposition universelle de 1867, 1866 L’illustration. 6 Avril 1867 Mainardi, Patricia. â€Å"Edouard Manet’s ‘View of the Universal Exposition of 1867’† in Arts Magazine. 54(5), January 1980: 108-115 Reff, Theodore, ed. Manet and modern Paris: one hundred paintings, drawings, prints, and photographs by Manet and his contemporaries. Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1982 The Illustrated London News. 6 July, 1867

Creative Writing Coursework: Armageddon

The room was dim. The stone walls were damp and cold. In fact, the entire place was damp, the floor and the ceiling; the place was a dump. The smell of damp, urine and excrement was present, there was another smell lingering too, an unusual smell. It was the sickly stench of dried blood. In the room five men were seated around a large table, glaring at each other. Brandon Cole walked through the darkness. After finishing work he had decided to take the short route home. Brandon wrapped his arms around him. It was cold. The sound of Brandon's footsteps echoed through the narrow road. Brandon could see nothing – it was pitch black, he squinted to try and see through the darkness. Brandon continued walking down the stone road, he felt something squelch beneath his feet, he muttered irritably to himself and grabbed his lighter from his pocket. He flicked the lid back and the lighter burst in to light, like a tiny explosion. The small flame did hardly anything to improve Brandon's vision against the darkness. Brandon bent down placing the lighter by his foot, squinting again. The smell hit him and Brandon recoiled quickly, the smell invaded his nostrils and for a fleeting second Brandon thought he was going to vomit. He spoke out loud ‘Bloody dogs, crapping everywhere' he placed his foot down on the floor and began scraping it, wiping away the filth. Brandon stopped and pulled a cigarette from his pocket pushing it between his lips. He lit it and inhaled deeply, he left it a second then breathed out a long stream of silvery blue smoke. Brandon began walking again, he turned a corner and heard a small noise behind him, and Brandon spun around quickly. Probably that flaming dog, he thought. As Brandon turned back he saw the figure standing before him, saw it lunge forward, felt it bite his neck. Brandon tried to shout for help but his throat felt constricted. Brandon swallowed hard and felt the teeth sink deeper into his neck. Brandon looked up and saw a shooting star. Make a wish. He blacked out. The five men in the room eyed each other silently. The room was deathly silent. Each of the men was dressed in black suits, their faces pale. A tall man sitting at the head of the table finally broke the silence ‘How is the training programme coming along?' he asked, his thick Russian accent was extremely noticeable. Silence. The Russian man lowered his head and sighed. The silence seemed almost palpable. A deafening roar and then a huge thud on the table finally broke the silence. The Russian man glared around the room, silence enveloped over the room once again. An American man sat on the side of the table began to speak ‘Sir, the training plan is failing abysmally. We apologise.' The American man held the Russian man's gaze for a few seconds. The American man knew the Russian man as Boran Yelstof. He was 27 years old, his hair was jet black and his eyes were a very pale grey colour. In the darkness of the room Boran could barely be seen. From the shadows Boran Finally said ‘What about the other club?' The American man smiled ‘Sir, that plan is going well. In fact it's happening right next door now.' He said these words slowly and confidently. Boran smiled bearing gleaming white teeth; they seemed to penetrate the darkness of the room. Boran stood up ‘Take me to the club. Now!' The American man rose quickly and stumbled backwards. He turned and walked quickly to the door. It was almost time. Brandon woke up he felt a searing pain in his neck and placed his fingers on the wound. He hissed in pain as he touched it. He could taste his own blood in his mouth, it was congealed and some of it was dry. Brandon spat the pain in his neck intensified as the large mucoid spittle that was mixed with blood exited his mouth and landed on the floor. Brandon placed a hand on his aching head and spat again. He massaged the bridge of his nose. He ran his tongue across his teeth to get the worst of the blood off them, Brandon felt a sharp pain on his tongue and felt blood begin to trickle from it. He placed his finger in his mouth to see what had caused the accident. His eyes opened with horror as he felt two sharp fang teeth. He shut his eyes and want filled his mind. Want for only one thing. Human blood. The room was dull green in colour, on the floor lay cardboard mats selotape held them down. Water could be seen leaking through the walls and the odour of damp was clearly present in the room. Boran looked around. Men were stood around the cardboard mats, cheering mindlessly. In the circle two men were fighting, the sound of blood splattering on the floor could be heard above the cheering. The sound of clenched fists smashing against bone could be easily heard. Boran smiled. Boran walked into the middle of the circle. The cheering stopped suddenly. Boran smiled, kicked off his shoes and took his tie off. He pointed to a stocky man from the crowd. Boran studied him carefully; the half-light made it difficult to see. From what he could see Boran saw the man had blonde hair; he had grey eyes and looked pretty strong. Boran pointed at the man at motioned for him to come into the circle. The man walked slowly and cautiously into the centre of the circle and stood opposite Boran. Boran raised his fists ready to fight. The blonde man clicked his fingers and raised his own fists. A whistle sounded and the fight began. Without hesitation Boran forced his fist down as hard as he could on to the blonde man's nose, the snap of bone filled the room. The blonde man stumbled back; blood erupted from his broken nose. Boran looked at his hand, blood was dripping from it, Boran stared at it looking deeply as if expecting an answer from the crimson fluid, and eventually he licked it, tasting the liquid. Boran smiled as the crowd roared on. The blonde man lashed out at Boran, trying to hit him but before he could Boran drove his fist into the man's jaw. Once again he heard the snap of bone, the blonde man fell down in a heap. Boran raised his hand to silence the crowd and silence came quickly. Boran looked around the room and after what seemed like an eternity Boran began to speak ‘Fellow friends. You are all alike, all feed on one thing. You are all vampires' the words echoed through the dim room. Boran continued ‘Tomorrow I will post assignments through your doors. They must be completed, if you fail to complete them then†¦' the sentence trailed off and Boran looked at the blonde man, his hair was red with blood now. Boran walked away, slipping his shoes on as he passed. As Boran opened the door to leave he turned and smiled ‘Continue'; the deafening roar of cheering filled his ears once again. ‘You kill the master, you kill them all' the English accent filled the room ‘the problem is that no one knows who the master is'. Tyler Freeman stood up; it was boiling in the small confines of the room. Tyler walked to the window and pulled it up, the air came in and Tyler sighed as the cool breeze hit his face. The sun was high and Tyler looked up at it for a second, he lowered his gaze and saw green lights dancing in front of him, he shut his eyes and rubbed them, trying to get the green flashes out of his head. The other men in the room were silent. Boran sat in the darkness he couldn't go outside. The day was always so boring; it was like being grounded. Boran closed his eyes, each assignment had been written. Boran sighed; he was trying to sleep. He could do with a few hours of rest, yet sleep seemed to avoid Boran lately. He had heard of hunters living around the area he was staying, they were his only fear, it wasn't because they could kill him it was simply because the vampire hunters could expose the vampire race, it would be awful. Boran looked at his watch, it was 1:47pm, he sighed. Boran stared at the dull, damp walls, at the concrete floor and at the large wooden table. He shut his eyes again. He knew it was going to be a very long day. Brandon was sat at home, he glanced over at his wife and smiled ‘Beth, come over here' he said. Beth walked slowly over to him and sat on his knee. He smiled again. Brandon moved forward and placed his mouth on Beth's, she responded quickly and fiercely, she probed her tongue into his parted lips. Brandon opened his mouth fully, pushing his tongue further into Beth's mouth. Beth felt a sharp pain on her tongue and withdrew it quickly. She felt the blood oozing slowly from it. Brandon opened his mouth fully exposing the gleaming white fangs. Before Beth even had a chance to scream Brandon was upon her, he drove his sharp fangs into Beth's neck ripping off skin and tearing muscle. Blood pumped from the wound and Brandon drank it, enjoying the taste. Brandon stood up, blood dripping down his chin. He stared across at the mirror no reflection stared back. Brandon smiled revealing bloodied teeth once again. Tyler had found the note on his desk about fifteen minutes ago yet he read it out loud like it was the first time he had seen it. Scrawled on the note were the words: NEST – ABONDONED WAREHOUSE -CALDICOT ROAD 7pm TONIGHT. TYLER, BE THERE! -ANON. Tyler knew of the warehouse, he remembered playing there as a kid. But who could have sent the note? The question gnawed at his mind and finally Tyler slammed his hand down on the desk and cursed. He knew he had to check it out. Tyler looked at the letter again and sighed. He would need to get a party together by at least five that evening. Tyler slipped the letter back into the envelope; he wondered who was telling him where to go. Another scared him too; the letter was written in blood. Boran had given up on sleep and instead decided to give his minion's the assignments. He looked at the one on top of the pile. Boran had written As you know I am Boran, the master. I, like you am a vampire. Yet I am different, I am the master. I can control you. I do not work you hard so I feel you should thank me. I am asking you a favour, as I am worried. As you know hunters live in this part of the world and I have reason to believe that hunters are here searching for us. I ask you to become one of my army; you will be treated well and with respect. So, if hunters do come in search of us we will be ready – or at least I hope we will be. I am asking for your help and I hope you will be bold enough to help me. Thank you Boran. Boran smiled, he knew his followers would do this for him, they would do anything for him. They were mindless drones in his eyes. Boran smiled and slid the note under the door; he had only three left. Boran looked around the corridor as he posted the letters; it was the same dark green as the rest of the place. Boran looked at the wall, at where his shadow should've been. He laughed, a shadow was something he had never had, Boran had been a vampire in the womb – He was the only one that existed, that was how he had become the master. He remembered standing over the last master's deathbed, he could remember the exact words spoken to him ‘You are a pure bred vampire, you will be the next master. Boran, you will change history. You will hold Armageddon in your hands, I hope you will do us proud. Boran lowered his head, as of yet it had not come and Boran wondered if it ever would. Boran stared at the dull green glow of the light. It would soon be time – it had to be. Brandon looked at the clock, it was 5:30pm. Next to Brandon was his wife. Beth sat unmoving. Brandon knew she was resting. He smiled thinly; her blood had been amazing. A large crimson stain was soaked through the floor, Brandon licked his lips and smelled the coppery odour of her blood, he smiled and licked his lips. Beth stirred and Brandon glanced over at her, she was beautiful, her long brown hair, her deep blue eyes – everything. Brandon stared at the steady rise and fall of her chest; it seemed to intrigue Brandon. Suddenly, Beth woke up and began gasping for air, she screamed and it seemed to penetrate the stillness and silence of the room, like a knife being scraped down a chalkboard. Brandon looked at Beth and shouted ‘Beth, what's wrong?' a hint of fear sounded in his voice. Beth looked at him and pulled her tee shirt up revealing her flat stomach. Slashed across with perfect precision was: Come to the abandoned warehouse in Caldicot rd at 6:45 tonight. Beth, Brandon – do not be late! Your Master Boran. Beth looked at Brandon and he saw tears streaming down her cheeks, he swallowed hard and pointed at her stomach. Beth looked down. The words had disappeared. Tyler looked around the room and noticed it was fully metal. The fluorescent lights cast a cold, bright glow over the room. The room was big, as Tyler paced the room he could hear his footsteps hitting the cold, metal floor. He looked at the group of men standing before him, he didn't know any of them but that didn't matter. Tyler faced them ‘You know the rules: Don't play hero, kill all vampires without hesitation and kill a member if the are bitten', Tyler raised his eyebrows ‘Got it?' he said. The five men all said ‘Yes sir' at the same time. Tyler ran an eye over each of each of them, checking they were properly equipped, Tyler nodded approvingly, there were no faults with any of the men. Tyler grabbed the four wooden steaks that lay on the table, his gun that was also on the table, fifteen boxes of ammo and a large silver samurai sword that hung on the wall. Tyler sucked in a deep breath and lowered his gaze, looking at his feet. ‘Let's go' he ordered, a note of determination in his voice. But there was something else in his voice too Fear Maybe? Tyler felt his stomach somersault and shut his eyes for a brief second. He reached for the door. Boran opened his eyes and looked at his watch, it was 6:17pm, he had to prepare, he had to see who was willing to join his army. Boran rubbed his eyes, he had dropped off for a short time, he was still worrying about the vampire hunters, Boran feared for what might happen. Boran realised what he had to do, the task would be difficult but he must do it. Boran looked up at the wall, a small calendar was there, and he studied it. It was Thursday, Boran lowered his head – he was leaving Friday, he wondered if something was going to happen before then. He hoped it wouldn't, Boran looked at his watch -Friday couldn't come soon enough. Beth and Brandon were sat in the car; the drive would take about ten minutes. Luckily it had become quite cloudy and it was beginning to get dark, the light hurt both Brandon and Beth's eyes. Beth rubbed her stomach, she was aware of a pain the came every now and then; it was like someone kicking her there. She frowned and brought her hand away slowly. Brandon cast her a cursory glance but focused on the road when he realised she was ok. Beth looked at the clock, it told her that it was 6:30pm. Tyler checked each of his team again, they were ready, so was Tyler. ‘Mr. Freeman, what time do we leave, sir?', the voice came from the youngest looking of the men, Tyler reasoned he could be no more than twenty-two ‘Ten minutes' Tyler said. The van was small and the compartment where Tyler and his party were sat had everything, computers, video cameras, and phones. Tyler looked at the machinery and he spotted something. He bent down to see the object and he finally realised that it as a walkie-talkie. Tyler grabbed it and noticed many more lay beneath a small cloth, he picked up five and passed them to each man in the group ‘These might come in handy' said Tyler in an unmoving tone, he attached the two-way to his belt and checked his watch, it was 6:40pm. Tyler opened the back door of the van ‘Let's go' he ordered. The five other men followed Tyler. Across the street a car pulled up. Boran was stood still, behind him were the rest of the nest. Stood next to him was the American man, Boran looked at him ‘Matthew, you must protect me. Ok?' The American man looked at him and nodded, he looked forward again and shut his eyes a bead of perspiration ran down his face. One word roared through his mind TRAITOR! Beth looked at Brandon and sighed ‘Are you sure this is right?' she asked. Brandon smiled ‘I'm sure' he replied. Brandon looked across at the van parked on the other side and frowned ‘Wonder what that is, it looks pretty high-tech' Beth shrugged. Brandon sucked in a deep breath; his stomach felt like it was somersaulting with nervousness. Beth frowned as a large pain in her stomach came and Brandon looked at her ‘You ok?' he asked, Beth looked at him and nodded. She rubbed her stomach, ‘It's probably nothing' she told him unconvincingly. The clock on the dashboard read 6:42pm ‘Give it a minute' said Brandon. Boran felt a presence; a single bead of perspiration ran down his head. A knock on the door made him jump and he cursed. Silence. Another knock, Boran raised his hand to silence the already quiet men. Boran heard voices from outside the door and felt nervous. He noticed that some of the men had begun to move, they had been standing for quite a while, Boran clicked his fingers to silence the men again, it worked. Another knock came at the door and Boran felt his left knee begin to shake. The door crashed down and made a huge noise, it was intensified by the echo that it caused. Both Boran and Tyler's mouths dropped open as they saw each other ‘Master's of the opposite sides' Boran said trying to smile and look unafraid. Tyler glared at him ‘Armageddon' he whispered. In an instant Tyler raised his gun and he fired off three rounds, the recoil hurting the palm of his hand. The first bullet hit Matthew in the chest and he screamed in agony as the bullet tore through him, he managed to gurgle two words ‘I'm sorry', blood began to spill over his lip. The second bullet hit him in the side of his face and Tyler heard the crack of bone then saw his face rip off because of the force of the bullet. The third shot missed and hit the wall blasting a huge hole in it; plaster and brick flew off in chunks from the wall hitting Boran and some of his followers. ‘Boran, I could kill you so easily. Just one shot.' Tyler chuckled to himself/ Boran felt the anger rising within him and he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white with rage ‘Tyler, you know what is supposed to happen when the two masters meet', Tyler glared at Boran and finally stated ‘A fight to the death'. Boran smiled ‘That's right Tyler. What Else?' Tyler stared at Boran for what seemed be an eternity and managed to say ‘Armageddon.' Boran smiled and whispered ‘Who too Tyler?' Tyler stared down at the floor ‘To the side that loses' Tyler met Boran's icy glare ‘But it's only hearsay, it's never been proven!' he said this defensively, as if it would make Boran reconsider. Boran slipped off his shoes ‘Tyler, there's only one way to find out. Fight me to the death.' Tyler raised his gun and shot at Boran, the shot hit him in the elbow and he bellowed in pain as his lower arm was ripped away, he fell to the floor gripped his arm, it was pumping blood. Boran screamed one word ‘Attack!' The entire army ran towards the five men. Tyler was about to fire again when he felt a large hand grip his shoulder, he turned his neck and raised his arm. It smashed the vampire in the face and it fell backwards. Tyler turned around and raised his sword, he brought it down with an amazing force on to the vampire's head. Tyler heard the satisfying crack of bone and felt the blood of the vampire hit his face. He ripped the sword out of the vampire's skull and swung it around him, it hit another vampire and chopped it completely off at the waist, the legs remained upright for a second then fell into a heap on the floor. Tyler jumped into the shadows and gripped the two-way. He pressed the small button on the side of it. Tyler spoke calmly into it ‘Requesting backup in Caldicot Road warehouse. Quickly, this is a code blue emergency', there was a hiss of static then a voice from the other end ‘Ok Tyler, I got that. Over and out.' Tyler clipped the two-way back on to his belt and reached for his gun. He could hear the gunfire of his partners. ‘At least they aren't dead yet' muttered Tyler. The gun was light and Tyler looked at it, he knew the technical specs of the gun very well and eventually found the button he sought. He pushed it and smiled, the gun was programmed to rapid-fire. Tyler stood up and raised the gun. He pulled and held the trigger. Brandon and Beth heard the gunfire from the warehouse and looked at each other. Brandon placed the key back in the ignition and started it up. Beth locked her door; she looked out of the window and saw people running from the gunfire yet nobody ran out of the warehouse. The deafening sound of gunfire drowned out the sound of screams and Beth closed her eyes, trying to ignore the sounds. The car began moving and Beth felt a sharp pain in her stomach, was it a warning to go back? She ignored it and the car drove on. Tyler felt the recoil of the gun against the palm of his hand. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes. He moved the gun from side to side hoping it was hitting something. Tyler heard the click of the gun showing that the magazine was empty. Tyler quickly ducked and slammed in another one. Immediately he stood up and began firing again. Bodies were scattered across the floor and blood was spattered on the walls and ceiling, it was pumping from the bullet-ridden bodies oozing on to the floor. Tyler heard screams in the distance but kept his finger pulled down on the trigger. Tyler felt the gun stop firing and ducked back into the shadows, he reloaded but stayed down for a second this time. He heard sirens in the distance and smiled. Boran had managed to get away and now he stood in the filthy infirmary wrapping what remained of his arm. Boran saw a rat scuttle across the filthy floor of the infirmary. Boran rubbed the perspiration from his pale face. Was it over, or was it just beginning? Boran clenched his only fist and swiped at the mirror that was in the room, as it cracked he saw the room reflected at least twelve times, but no reflection. Boran walked out of the room, sweat was soaking his back and armpits. One word raced through his mind and refused to leave. Armageddon. The firing had stopped; the agonising wails of pain had stopped. Tyler came up from the shadows and saw twelve men; it was the back up team. ‘Hey guys. They all dead?' Tyler pointed in the direction of one of the vampires. The twelve men of the backup team looked at Tyler ‘Hey Tyler, what the hell happened here?' Tyler looked at the men ‘What does it look like?' Silence. Tyler looked at the spot where Boran had been lying ‘Oh Christ' he murmured. Tyler heard the massive crash of the door and raised his gun. He fired three rounds at the figure that stood in the doorway and each shot hit it. The figure began walking towards Tyler. Finally the dim light spread across the beings face ‘Boran' Tyler muttered. Boran smiled ‘Hello Tyler' he whispered. Tyler threw his gun away ‘Fine, a fight to the death!' Both men ran at each other and as Boran lashed out with one powerful fist Tyler fell to the floor, ducking from the fatal blow. Boran cursed and stopped himself from running. Tyler pulled himself up and grabbed one of the wooden steaks from his belt. Tyler heard Boran running up behind him and shut his eyes tight. In one swift movement Tyler was up and had spun his whole body round, the wooden steak came around in his hand, it ripped through Boran's skin, muscle and bone and finally pierced his heart. Boran felt one moment of searing pain and then it subsided to nothingness, Boran could feel himself slipping away in to unconsciousness. In to death. Boran opened his mouth and blood began to trickle from it, running down his chin and splashing on the floor, like tiny crimson pools. Boran tried to speak but found it almost impossible, he could only focus on one word. He coughed up more blood and tried to speak again ‘A†¦Ar.' Tyler glared at him coldly and finally whispered ‘Armageddon.' Darkness enveloped the earth; it was like the entire world had been covered by a huge blanket. People stared up in both disbelief and fear. Vampires everywhere began to fall, wither away and slide in to oblivion, into an eternal sleep. The darkness seemed to grow greater and an icy wind ran chills through the soul of everybody. The darkness seemed impenetrable. The body of Boran fell to the ground and Tyler opened his own eyes. An icy chill ran through him. It was over. ‘We've won. The world is ours.' The twelve men looked at each other confusedly, not understanding what Tyler was saying. Tyler looked outside and the darkness began to dissipate, blue skies took over the world again. The darkness faded away into nothingness. One thought was on Tyler's mind. Who had sent him the note? The thought hit Tyler suddenly and he gasped. He bent down at the body of Boran and pushed his hand in to Boran's bloodied pocket. Nothing. Tyler walked over to Matthew and searched his pockets; inside one of the trouser pockets was note, it was written in blood; Tyler smiled at the words scrawled on it. I AM A TRAITOR. I AM SORRY! -ANON. Tyler knew it was the same man. The guy had been a right hand man and a traitor. Tyler laughed. The man who he had first shot and killed had actually helped him. Tyler heard movement behind him and raised his gun, ready to fire. The members of his own party came from the shadows ‘Hey Sir. We dived back here when you nearly shot us. Sorry.' Tyler laughed and walked off. One word boomed through Tyler's mind. Armageddon. The body of Beth Cole lay on the operating table. She, like many others had died when the darkness had come. Beth was different though. She had been pregnant. When the doctors had found her a case had taken place, Beth was hooked up to a life support machine to keep her baby alive. Although her brain was dead technology could keep her body working normally. She had been lying on the bed for two months and the doctors had taken tests that showed the baby would be perfect. The tests had proved to be right, the baby had been born less than thirty minutes ago and it was fine. Beth Cole had given birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy. The doctors were stood around Beth's bed waiting for the leading doctor to pull the plug that would stop her body from working, finally he did. The body of Beth Cole was taken the morgue. Her baby lay in his incubator waiting for attention. More tests needed to be run on him and he could not wait for those to be completed. He was thirsty and wanted only one thing, he wanted to taste the sweet flavour of human blood. The baby began to cry.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, â€Å"owns 1.1 trillion cubic feet equivalent (tcfe) of proved oil and gas reserves, one of the largest inventories of onshore U.S. natural gas† {Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1}. Recently, Chesapeake finished the transformation from an aggressive exploration company focused on developing short-reserve life, to a lower-risk, longer reserve life natural gas producer. Chesapeake†s operations are focused on â€Å"developmental drilling and producing property acquisitions.† These operations are â€Å"concentrated in three major areas: the Mid-continent, the onshore Gulf of Mexico and far northeastern British Columbia, Canada† [Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1]. Aubrey K. McClendon is Chesapeake†s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Tom L. Ward is the President, Chief Operating Officer and Director. â€Å"McClendon met cofounder Tom Ward in the 1980†³s. Both were independent oil producers; they teamed up in 1983† [Morgenson, p. 2]. They each have more than 16 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. All other members of the management team have multiple years of experience in the industry. Chesapeake has concentrated on expanding its holdings in natural gas since the company†s incorporation in 1989. Chesapeake thinks that natural gas will be the fuel choice of the 21st century. The company has been highly competitive in both its exploration activities and efforts to increase its inventory of undeveloped leasehold land. This combination should enable Chesapeake to remain a competitive force in the energy producing industry. New technology in the oil and gas industry has made exploration and production more profitable. This is key for the survival of American businesses that compete with OPEC and other foreign cartels that have very low production costs. New technology, including three-dimensional imaging, which has greater resolution than the previously existing technology, will enable Chesapeake to detect reserves more accurately. Also, horizontal drilling has enabled companies to drain more than one reserve at a time. With profits continuing to be squeezed within this industry, new technology is necessary to help American businesses compete on a global scale. The oil and gas industry is truly a global market. The industry boosted gains in 1999 from increased production efficiency and a decrease in the current supply. U.S. firms, along with OPEC, have voluntarily reduced their total production, which has increased the price. OPEC currently supplies approximately 40% of the world oil production. If OPEC chooses to produce at a lower output, Chesapeake could easily increase production with its low production costs and huge reserves. Many other nations are emerging as competitors, such as the former Soviet Union and Latin American countries. The continuing increase in supply from other nations would potentially saturate the market, causing lower prices and lower profits. Demand is expected to rise only slightly more than two percent through the year 2005. The outlook for this industry is for increased competition domestically (from smaller companies) and internationally from emerging nations. The U.S. has superior technology, which will help keep profits up as supply increases and demand remains relatively constant. Natural gas makes up 72% of Chesapeake†s revenue. They usually sell the product to third parties and are not dependent on any one buyer. Less than 10% of their revenues are generated from two buyers. Governmental Regulations – Operational and Labor Relations The oil and gas industries are subject to considerable government regulation. These laws and regulations are primarily directed toward â€Å"the handling and disposal of drilling and production waste products and waste created by water and air pollution control devices† [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 10]. The oil and gas industry is accountable to numerous government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the State Department and the Department of Commerce. Virtually every aspect of operations is subject to complex and ever changing regulations. The oil and gas industry is tightly regulated in regard to labor relations by government department and agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Some states have their own state sponsored occupational safety plans, while the remainder must comply with federal OSHA regulations. Some of the topics covered under OSHA include personal protective equipment, hazardous communication (HAZCOM) and safety process training. Chesapeake had 453 employees as of March 15, 1999. None of these employees were represented by organized labor unions. The company considers its employee relations to be good [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 13]. Unocal (NYSE: UCL) employed 7,880 people as of December 31, 1998, of which 575 were represented by various U.S. labor unions [Unocal 10-K, 1998, p. 12]. Both companies are subject to new laws and regulations regarding the environment and labor. Chesapeake and Unocal cannot predict what adverse financial conditions the new laws and regulations will bring. However, short-term and long-term costs will increase as companies improve existing operations to become and remain compliant with government regulations. As a result, all companies in petro-chemical industries are experiencing tremendous difficulty operating profitable businesses. Several businesses have ceased operations as a result of increased regulation coupled with poor profit margins. Chesapeake is at a higher risk regarding this scenario since most of its operations are domestic. Unocal, although a U.S. based company, operations are concentrated primarily overseas, and therefore experience increased leniency regarding environmental and labor regulations. During the last two years, Chesapeake Corporation took a significant hit in terms of earnings, stock price and credit ratings. Positive 1996 earnings turned to a loss in 1997 and tumbled to a bigger loss of $10 per share in 1998. This earnings decline caused the stock price and credit rating to plummet. The company also faces a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged violations of federal securities laws. Top management and directors are accused of using insider information to sell personal holdings in the company at artificially inflated prices. Chesapeake had very disappointing years in 1997 and 1998 as evidenced by the fall in the stock price. The company underwent a substantial repositioning to increase natural gas holdings and reduce risk. As a result of this repositioning, Chesapeake incurred considerable debt and is dependent on the market prices of oil and natural gas to increase, and in effect, improve profit margins. Additionally, in 1997, Chesapeake changed their fiscal year end from June 30th to December 31st. As part of the repositioning, Chesapeake increased long term debt over $400 million to a total of $920 million, coupled with a short-term indebtedness of $25 million. This increased borrowing drastically reduced the company†s ability to obtain additional financing. Standard & Poor†s and Moody†s placed Chesapeake on review with a negative outlook. The ability to meet obligations for this additional debt will depend on the production and financial performance of the company, market prices of oil and natural gas, and general economic conditions. Common Size Income Statement Analysis Chesapeake had an extremely large write-down of assets (impairment) as a result of reduced oil and gas prices during the past few years. This charge increased operating costs by over $1.2 billion during 1997-98 with 72% of that cost coming in 1998. The asset write-down, combined with expense increases in production, marketing and interest, were the main contributors of total operating costs to be over three times total revenue. The result was 1998 EBIT of ($920) million, and a non-existent ROE, since the company had a net loss approaching $1 billion. Unocal†s ROE was 5.9% in 1998 and 25.1% in 1997. The impairment cost reported by Chesapeake is questionable because of the very large amount that was charged. In perspective, Unocal with over $5 billion in property assets recorded an impairment charge of $97 million during 1998. If oil and gas prices rise in the near future, the impairment costs may be reversed giving the impression that the company is doing very well. Future investors of Chesapeake equities should consider this fact prior to making any investment decisions. Chesapeake had a $140 million reduction to both sides of the balance sheet. The repositioning of the firm focused on increasing inventory of natural gas reserves, â€Å"the fuel of choice for the 21st century† [1998 Annual Report, pg. 18]. Oil and gas properties nearly doubled from 1997 to 1998, totaling $2.2 billion. However, nearly $1.6 billion was depreciated, depleted and amortized. Additionally, cash decreased nearly $100 million, short-term investments were liquidated, and paid-in capital exceeded $1.1 billion over the past two years to provide additional cash for purchases of gas reserves. As a result, total property, plant and equipment was 85% of total assets in 1998 compared to 77% in 1997. In comparison, Unocal†s PP&E was 66% and 64% of total assets respectively. Long-term debt increased over $400 million in 1998, totaling $920 million compared to $510 million in 1997. The $920 million was 113% in relation to total liabilities and owners equity of $813 million. In 1998, current liabilities were $131 million compared to current assets of $118 million. This resulted in a reduced current ratio of .90 from a 1997 ratio of 1.42. The Unocal current ratios during 1998 and 1997 were 1.01 and 1.29 respectively. Chesapeake has relied primarily on cash flow through financing activities during the past few years. Cash flow from operations was approximately $95 million in 1998 and $180 million in 1997, while cash flow from financing was $365 million and $278 million respectively. Sales accounted for $378 million in 1998 and appear to be rising approximately 35% annually from 1996 and 1997. However, an accurate comparison is unavailable because of the change in the company†s fiscal year end. Low oil and gas prices forced Chesapeake to borrow, sell equity, and liquidate short-term investments in order to continue operations and invest in oil and gas properties. The company is dependent on the rise of prices during 1999 to continue operations and provide shareholder wealth. The company has several restrictions from being able to borrow additional funds. Additionally, the price of stock has dropped from a high of $34 in 1996 to a low of $.63 in 1998. This has further reduced the company†s ability to generate cash. The current ratios for Chesapeake Energy are as follows: 1.00 (June 96), 2.03 (June 97), 1.42 (December 97), and .90 (December 98). Current liabilities remained constant over this period, ranging from a high of 19% (June 96) to a low of 15% (June 97), with the current level at 16% of total assets. Extreme levels of change in current assets caused the current ratio to fluctuate drastically. Current assets declined from a high of $297 million (31% of total assets) to a current low of $117 million (15% of total assets). This decline in current assets caused the deterioration of the current ratio. The acid test ratios are as follows: .94 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.37 (December 97), and .81 (December 98). As previously mentioned, current liabilities remained constant. Net accounts receivable remained flat as a percentage of total assets: 9% in 1996, 7% in 1997 (Both June & December), and 9% in 1998. Marketable securities were sold off during the past three years, decreasing from 11% ($104 million) of total assets to zero. Cash decreased from 13% ($124 million) of total assets in 1997 (both June & December) to 4% in 1998. The combination of severe decreases in both cash and marketable securities are the reasons that the acid test ratio decreased so dramatically. The quick ratios are as follows: .96 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.38 (December 97), and .86 (December 98). As mentioned previously, current liabilities remained constant and current assets declined. As with the current ratio, the main reason for the deterioration of the quick ratio is the continued loss of current assets. The above ratios and the reasons for their poor trends indicate Chesapeake is currently in a liquidity crisis. This, in combination with the increased debt liabilities, is an extreme warning to both investors and management. This condition also adds to the suspicion that assets are being sold off to fund current debt obligations. The firm†s ability to meet its obligations with cash, as they come due, is approximated by the cash flow liquidity ratio. As previously mentioned, solvency improved and then deteriorated as indicated by the current and quick ratios. The trends are confirmed when looking at cash flow. From 1995 to 1997, Chesapeake†s cash flow liquidity improved from 1.47 to 1.8. 1997 to 1998 showed a large drop in liquidity from 1.8 to 0.95. The company†s financial statement data gives an indication as to why. From 1995 to 1997, short-term solvency improved from 1.47 to 1.8. When looking at the data, cash from operations rose from $55 million in 1995, to $139 million in 1997. The 1997 rise was due to a change in the accounting period. During this same period, cash on hand rose from $56 million to $123 million and marketable securities rose from zero to $13 million. While cash was increasing, current liabilities rose from $75 million to $153 million. Current liabilities doubled during this period, while cash flow increased 150%. The larger increase in cash flow, relative to short-term obligations, accounts for the improvement in solvency during the 1995 to 1997 period. During the 1997 and 1998 periods, liquidity deteriorated as shown by the decrease in the cash flow liquidity ratio from 1.8 to 0.95. The data indicates that cash from operations dropped approximately 32% to $95 million. When looking at the Cash Flow Statement, the large decrease in operating cash is mainly due to the large net loss incurred during the period. At the same time, cash dropped 76% to $30 million while marketable securities fell to zero. Much of the cash appears to have gone to fund the company†s payables and accrued liabilities. Current liabilities were reduced 15% to $131 million. The larger reduction in cash flow relative to current obligations accounts for the deterioration in short-term solvency. The cash flow data confirms that Chesapeake†s liquidity suffered severe deterioration. A reduction in current liabilities is a good sign, but the little amount of cash generated and being used to fund current obligations is not enough. Cash assets are being used to fund these obligations as well. In comparison to the industry debt ratio of .31, Chesapeake ended with a debt ratio of 1.31 in 1998 compared to .71 in 1997. The long-term debt to total capitalization ratio increased from .64 in 1997 to 1.37 in 1998, while the industry average was .44. The tremendous increase in debt was attributable to significantly lower oil and gas prices during the past three years, and a failed drilling venture known as the Louisiana Trend. The company was forced to liquidate assets and take on a substantial amount of debt to meet operational expenses and increase oil and gas field reserves. Chesapeake was added to the Standard & Poor†s â€Å"CreditWatch with negative implications† [Yahoo Finance, Nov. 14, 1999] in December of 1998. The low price of fuel during fiscal years 1996 through 1998 was the primary reason for Chesapeake†s troubles. The debt incurred has covenants restricting the company from seeking additional debt and from paying dividends to preferred stock holders. Principal on a large portion of the outstanding debt is not due until 2004 allowing the company time to improve operations. This will also give fuel prices a chance to rise, which is determinant to the company†s survival. The industry average for times interest earned is 5.2, while Chesapeake†s operating profit was ($856) million. The ratio equated to well below zero in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, interest payments were more than $68 million. The financial leverage index could not be computed since there was not a return on equity. Chesapeake overextended their credit by substantially financing with debt and has jeopardized their ability to make obligated payments for their debt and fixed costs.